The Atoner
by SpiceNChips
Summary: He didn't ask for this. Endeavor didn't ask for the title to be pushed on him. He is not All Might and never will be. Now he must answer the cries for a new hero by filling in the void left behind by All Might. The road to redemption is hell, indeed. ON HIATUS.
1. Chapter 1

Age of the Pheonix

Prologue

What do you mean I'm still not allowed to see her?!" his bellows carried across the building. The staff paused to find the source of the noise. Most already knew who it belonged to already as they had become acquainted with his formidable presence. They came prepared. His therapist was already surrounded by security just in case things got out of control. If worse came to worse, one of the nurses were equipped with a fragrance quirk that would become activated once given the signal.

"The therapist had been trying to get through to this man for the past ten years. Normally she had the stomach to deal with temper tantrums. It came from years of dealing with hostile behavior. This was a mental health facility afterall. Yet, after sitting with Rei Todoroki for all this time, she understood why Rei was terrified of her husband now. He was a long, hulking brute with the maturity of a five year old. She warily watched him pace her office.

"What the hell am I paying you quacks for, then?! You are supposed to be professionals! I thought you said my wife is-"

"That her progress is going well. I didn't say that now was a good time to see your wife, face to face. She still seems terrified of you." The therapist could understand the reasons why, although those were words that were completely unprofessional and could make the man even angrier than he already was.

The man ranked as the current Number One Hero, after All Might's alleged retirement, towered over his wife's therapist, glaring with mounting dislike. "You do realize that woman tried to kill my son?! She-"

The therapist stood her ground. She was not going to let this man intimidate her, she didn't care about his reputation. Her patient's sanity is on the line, "We would've diagnosed with her psychosis, if we didn't catch the early signs of PTSD. It seems as though it was the stress you put her under that broke her."

Endeavor's eyes widened in horror. "Are you saying that I am the cause of all this?!"

The therapist watched his fingers curled into a fist. "Why do you sound so surprised?"

"I was trying to...I was trying to..." for the first time in his life he was speechless. Is that the reason why Natsuo and Shouto despised him? And is that the reason why his wife...didn't want anything to do with him? He wanted to carve a future for Shouto. The best possible future he could have. To become Number One, the very position he coveted for the past thirty years. He secured the rank of Number Two at twenty. Yet, he never could...

"Trying to what?" the therapist raised a curious eyebrow at him.

Endeavor shuddered. He was beginning to despise therapists. "You think that you can read people like an open book, can't you?"

"There's no reason to be caustic. If you want to see your wife again, then that is entirely up to her. You haven't seen her in over ten years, haven't you?" the therapist queried.

"No..."

She was surprised to hear the softness in his voice and the change in his features. She could recall those eyes being completely different a moment ago. They were almost mad. Crazy, even. The eyes of a demon. Something had just changed in those eyes. They seemed almost...warmer. Humble, even. Just what happened to him out there? That scar is new, too.

He was no different than that Nomu monster.

"It...doesn't matter," he murmured.

At least he stopped yelling, the therapist seemed unmoved by his change of behavior. "I'm sorry. I wish I can find some sort of solution. There is always marriage counseling...

"No...I...I'll think about it." With those words, he strode out of the therapist's office.

The breeze seemed to have cooled down his temper, if only for a moment. He could feel the temperature in his body rising. The back of his neck prickled. Just a few days ago, he got the position that he wanted, although it was on a technicality. He wanted to settle the score with All Might on his own terms.

His memories went back to Kamino and the large building that was supposedly the League of Villains hideout. They raided the place while he served as a mere lookout. Explosions. Debris everywhere. People screaming. And there, standing his ground against the boss, was All Might. Yet, he appeared to be different. He looked so frail and helpless, how could someone like that be the Symbol of Peace? He froze. All Might never did that. He also looked terrified, but why?

How could this be the same man? The very man who struck fear into the hearts of villains with that stupid smirk on his face. That same cocky grin which looked down on him for years. That gloating look in his eye as though he were telling him that he was so much better, that no one would catch up with him, was shaking in his shoes at the sight of the head of the League of Villains. The boogeyman of Japan, All For One...

Why did he look so emaciated? And when he came face-to-face with this man, he looked so fragile and meek. What the hell happened to the man that once mocked him at every given opportunity?

That was the day he finally snapped. Winning the position of Number One was the final straw.

Is that how Shouto and Rei thought of him, like some sort of boogeyman? Is that the reason why the citizens of Mustafu look at him with fear and apprehension? The obnoxious ones tried to be daring by thinking they can bait him into a fight. The ones who were terrified of him dared each other in trying to get an autograph, like that Shiketsu kid. He wasn't sure if he was a fan or not. Endeavor was used to the hateful comments online and brushed them off as petty annoyances.

All of a sudden, those spiteful, venomous words from his haters pressed down on him, threatening to consume him. He heard the reports again and again, he will never be like All Might, even now after he was Number One. Those comments said the exact same thing. Those words haunted him. It echoed in his memories as the Devil himself came to taunt him.

But he didn't believe in demons. They were just superstition.

When Fuyumi was little, he could recall her grabbing the ankles of his pants one day while he was trying to come up with a training regime for Shouto. She clutched what looked like a disc in her tiny hands. She was begging him, wide eyed and innocent, to watch this film with her. It was a cheesy animated feature from the United States. The cover had what looked like a young girl holding hands with a hairy creature that was larger than she was.

To humor her and to get her to stop with the annoying caterwauling, he relented. He rolled his eyes at most of the scenes and snorted derisively at the music, until they got to the Beast...

That was the one time he managed to get one of his kids to smile. Yet, she still wasn't strong enough to learn his fire techniques, that was why he was often dismissive of her.

Much like the annoying talking objects in the film, they were afraid of his violent temper. And it was that temper that frightened away the woman into the cold...it was the exact same temper that had frightened off Rei, Shouto...and those other people...

He was not All Might. He cannot make people smile. He was not warm and inviting. His hands were large enough to crush the spines off of villains. It was the same fist that had made an impact on Rei's soft body. Hair disheveled, eyes blackened, clutching her stomach, looking very weak and fragile. She was not a fragile woman, she should be proud to be married to someone as influential as him.

Influential...as he was.

What had he done?! He threw them away and for what? Just for a power trip?

What was the point of having quirks, then, if you cannot be the best person you could possibly be? Heroism would help you get a crack at the top. It had always been about power. Status. That was the name of the game, wasn't it? And he climbed to the very top amidst all of those protests. He had been criticized for having a poor self image.

The conversation he had with All Might still burned in his memory. What was the point of having quirks, indeed? 'Only you can answer that question for yourself, Endeavor'. was the only answer he got from the old man. Although, he didn't look that old.

Somehow, Enji made it home. He glared at his reflection in the mirror. This was done by your hand alone, Endeavor.

With a roar, his fist made contact with the mirror. Shards of glass crashed to the floor, while most of the smaller pieces fell into the sink. A droplet of blood from his hand hit the floor, soundlessly.

* * *

AN: And there you have it, folks. The first chapter aka the Prologue. If you made it this far, then I am guessing you are interested in what I have to say. Yes, it is an Endeavor fanfic, you are not seeing things. . I managed to keep up with the BNHA and I admit, the Endeavor redemption arc was powerful. The reactions were also incredible to the point where fandom had become divided. He rose like a fucking phoenix, yet it doesn't change the fact that he is a shitty dad and an asshole to boot.

So why am I writing this story then? The themes are too complex to ignore. I know I am going to get a lot of shit from haters simply for the fact that I am portraying Endeavor in a less than spiteful light. I don't agree with what the man has done, we all know he is a shitty dad. And a shitty person until his heel face turn. But it takes alot to really say you are sorry. It has to be shown through your actions.

From the way the story is pacing and tone, things are about to get dark in later chapters. I noticed that puritanicals have a habit of getting triggered over the stupidest stuff. I am not saying this story is going to gloss over his flaws. It won't. In an effort for him to pause and take a quick step on the path to the right direction, he has to encounter a person who shares his issues. In this case, a woman with a similar problem as Rei.

What would he do when he encounters this woman who is in dire need of a hero? Yes, there is an OC involved but at least she has a reason to exist. It is to push Enji to become the best person he can possibly be. And, if my writing skills are indeed shitty, I might rendered her into a Mary Sue. Who knows? Your mileage may vary.

This is also canon divergent and has nothing to do with the recent chapters. This is taking place during the Joint Training arc. Take it with a grain of salt. If you want completely 100 percent pure canon, stick with the manga.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter One

Trigger Warning: Endeavor has a really big mouth and might not be gay for Toshinori, or Hawks.

 _Two weeks after the battle with High End..._

For a brief second, Enji almost forgotten about the press conference concerning the recent Nomu attack. He still paced about in the small office to get his thoughts together. Many were expecting a statement from their new 'symbol', for the lack of a better term for it. Some were even questioning about his well being, which was a first. But that wasn't the only time someone asked.

He recalled one instance a few years ago… a time when a villain's quirk had gone haywire. The villain was a mentally disturbed young man who didn't seem to fully control his own quirk, or was trying to make some sort of wild statement, as he was ranting about how no one would listen to him. He shouted relentlessly about the government's failure, that the Symbol of Peace was nothing more than a mere tool, and on and on he went until his speeches gave Endeavor a migraine. If All Might didn't intervene, Endeavor would've lost his temper again, like that last time. If it weren't for Midnight… that mission could've ended in disaster, too.

After the villain was apprehended, All Might went to check on him. Endeavor shoved his arm aside, "Fuck off! I could've taken care of him myself."

This left the Symbol completely baffled by Endeavor's brash behavior, before his thoughts were broken by a wide-eyed, female fan who held up an object that resembled one of those ridiculous special edition hats. All Might grinned, more than happy to sign it.

Endeavor had rolled his eyes contemptuously at the scene before him, surprised at how easily All Might had been distracted. "You can't go one day without signing something..."

All Might was about to respond with a witty retort when the female fan made a noise that sounded like fear. She was gawking at Endeavor, backing away.

'Oh for the love of...' the fierce hero of fire stormed off, refusing to look back as the Symbol of Peace made hushed reassurances about Endeavor's bark being worse than his bite.

Enji sighed about how he was then. Aside from the shallow cuts on his left knuckle, he was doing splendidly fine now. The new Number One flexed his bandaged fingers in thought. The only exception was the idea of sharing this interview with Hawks… what a nightmare. The brat wasn't wrong, though. They did make a pretty good team. Hawks was maybe a lazy kid, but he had proven himself useful. Their teamwork was definitely a crowd pleaser.

It was time to stick with the present, however. No more time to think about the past.

Those people out there were expecting a speech, and All Might was usually pretty good at that. Interviews don't normally give Enji anxiety, but this time... Well, it was a good thing he brought his cell with him. His fingers brushed over the 'unlock' button, tempted to text All Might for advice on how to cope with the butterflies growing in his stomach.

Why, all of a sudden, did he feel so shy to go up on stage? Had he really changed that much? The bigger question was why did he have his rival's number to begin with?

The door creaked open, and Hawks poked his head inside. "What gives, Number One? Weren't you supposed to give the crowd a rousing speech by now?"

A low, animalistic sound started to rumble in his throat. Slowly the familiar pangs of a growing headache begin to rattle his nerves. Pushing back the snarl that threatened to come out of the corners of his mouth, he begin to count backwards. The temperature in his body start to fluctuate and already he could feel the heat prickling the back of his neck. The presence of Hawks was irritating enough. Now there was no way he could relax this growing tension with his arrogant voice pounding in his ears.

"The interview? Yes, the...interview..." the voice didn't sound like him. It sounded as though it were far away. Awkward, even. Small. Before Hawks could press more, he waved his hand, dismissively.

Hawks watched the older hero carefully, shrugged, then slowly closed the door with a jaunty, "I hope you don't make me look bad out there, Number One."

Endeavor bared his teeth. This was coming from a guy who lives to make everyone 'look bad'.

* * *

Cameras were beginning to roll. Microphones were at the ready. The group of nosy reporters fell to a hush as their new symbol took the podium on the small stage, with Hawks at his side.

One of the reporters seemed to have a type of zoom quirk as he spoke in a soft whisper to the cameraman. ''Is that a scar? Did he just get that recently?'' The cameraman tried to get a closer look, but the only thing he could see is a large flame in the center of the crowd. The cameraman wished he had a zoom quirk too, because it was hard to tell from their distance.

Another piped up as Endeavor walked towards the podium, "Is that really him? Wow, he looks so fierce."

The nerves refused to abate as they continued to sizzle in his stomach. If he didn't have such a strong constitution, Endeavor would have tossed his chunks right there on the platform. He may not be the most admired hero, but at least he knew how to deal with his nerves better than anyone else. The alternative really would have been much too embarrassing. Definitely one for the history books, 'Endeavor loses his lunch in front of a large crowd of reporters!'

No, now was not the time to be feeling awkward. It was time to talk business, and he didn't need All Might's help. He took the microphone, giving the reporters the cue to start firing up those questions.

"Mr. Endeavor, can you tell us about the recent attack from the League of Villains?" a female reporter queried.

Endeavor paused at the question. His vision had been partially blurred since then. He also didn't know for certain if he recognized the young voice that seemed to be the mastermind behind the Nomu attack. He didn't want to believe it himself. When they got to the League of Villains' hideout, Endeavor scornfully frowned at the possibility of these monsters being stockpiled with so many quirks. It all sounded like an old wives' tale! Once he got a good look at these creatures, he realized they were twisted, disgusting, vile... inhuman. The fact that this young man could be involved was impossible. All this sounded like something straight out of the comics. Normally, his involvement included solving cases and reluctantly teaming up with other heroes to resolve them.

This was definitely out of his job description.

"Kinda hard to tell when I had been out during half of the battle," Endeavor tapped the right side of his face, pointedly.

The following concern they had for his well-being almost warmed his heart, if only for a little. He had received a swarm of messages on his website asking about how he was doing. Aside from losing a pint of blood, the temporary loss of his vision was nothing more than a battle scar. One of the many scars he might have to bear. These attacks, according to Hawks, have been growing steadily.

What were these villains up to?

' _I can feel it… the walls that you've been building are slowly crumbling_ …' His memories brought back to that talk with All Might. That gaunt, frail man who sat next to him, accompanied by his bodyguard, Present Mic. Why did All Might need a bodyguard, anyway? Now those words sounded so ominous to his ears.

"This was nothing compared to what I've done to that Nomu." It was true, Endeavor pushed himself beyond his limits just to fry that monster from the inside, out. "It was my wake up call to the League that if they try to harm any more innocent civilians, _they_ will be _next_."

The crowd murmured, some even started taking notes in their small notepads.

That Nomu, High End, had been one of the most difficult villains he ever encountered. While he relished the thrill of the battle and its victory, a part of him wished he will never go up against something like that ever again. It had been painful enough the first time.

"Quit showing off, Endeavor. That tough guy routine is getting old," Hawks, who had been standing next to him, had been picking at his teeth for the past ten minutes. He ignored the growl from Endeavor and took the microphone, "Just tell the audience like it is."

"Mr. Hawks, as the current Number Two Hero, tell us, what was it like teaming up with Endeavor?" The same female reporter that questioned Endeavor's well being eagerly tried to get the microphone closer to the charismatic bird hero, forgetting about the hot headed one for a moment.

"I stand by what I said at the JP Billboard. He should've been Number Four-" Hawks gestured a thumb directly towards Endeavor, ignoring the low rumbling growls rising in his throat. "I've alway been an Endeavor fan since I was a tiny hatchling-"

A derisive snort cut him off, "And that somehow gives you the right to steal the limelight from your heroes?"

Hawks ignored Endeavor's sarcasm. Since when had he been so concerned about the spotlight? He can fry him for this later, "After hearing rumors of these 'Nomu' sightings in my neck of the woods, I knew this guy-" He gestured towards Endeavor, "-Was the only one I knew that could take them on. With All Might out of commission, our current Number One doesn't have much of a choice but to fight these guys head on." He eyes darted sideways at Endeavor, a tiny smirk growing at the corners of his mouth.

'Of course I don't have much of a choice. I didn't ask for any of this! I earned it on a technicality!' Endeavor wanted to shout, but decided to save it for later. For a time when all of the reporters weren't watching him.

"So are you saying you know who is the mastermind of these attacks?"

"Not really," Hawks lied. If they only knew.

The reporters continued to fling their questions until they were finally satisfied. Endeavor made a mental note to have a long talk with that hawkboy once all of this is over.

* * *

 _Earlier that day...sometime after the battle with High End..._

Shoto's remedial classes continued along with his regular schedule. Normally, Enji would've scolded the rebellious teen for flunking out on the provisional license exam. That exam should've been a cakewalk for him, afterall! Looking back, Shoto had also just passed the written portion of the exam that permitted him to get into UA. Everyone has some sort of an Achilles heel… but, wasn't the whole point to beat all of those bots senseless? No one said anything about how important rescuing was, that detail got in the way of what was really important.

That was how the old Endeavor was from so many years ago. The old Endeavor who was told that he could never make it to the top with a quirk like his. He proved all of them wrong. Who was the one laughing now?

Nonetheless, that didn't excuse the fact that Shoto's recent failure was less than an embarrassment. The least he could do was teach him how to use his opposing quirks properly. Enji just wished the boy would stop pushing him away. It was no secret that his son despised him for his nonexistent childhood and was being rebellious now only to taunt him.

He arrived to the training area that the 'failed' students were meeting for their remedial training. Shoto was going to be there, and this time Enji wanted to be sure he didn't flunk out again. What he didn't expect was for All Might to be accompanied by a new bodyguard, this time it was Midnight. There was something strange going on with that. There were the rumors that All Might was not up to his usual stuff after Kamino. Yagi no longer kept up his buff, invincible appearance around the students as All Might. He looked so thin and gaunt in comparison. Pieces of skin clung to his bones, as though he had some sort of zombie quirk. The whites of his eyes were now black, adding to that ghastly appearance. Blue eyes still can be seen, miraculously, and they still burn as fierce as any flame. The flame of a man who went through many long battles, battles that he conquered himself.

Despite All Might's deflated form, this man was definitely not frail. Not from what he had seen. Even now, Endeavor could still feel the vibration from that 'seismic' attack at Kamino. It left behind a huge crater. On the edge if that crater, was the big bad himself: All For One. He never dreamed that he would catch a glimpse of the man who had been dubbed the Boogeyman of Japan.

The internet sure loved to spread their conspiracy theories about what went down there. He just didn't realize that this one would turn to glare at him in the face.

Still, why did Midnight want to come along? That woman always made him feel slightly uncomfortable. He didn't come today to discuss 'bodily fluids' or whatever ridiculous nonsense that came out of that woman's mouth. How was it possible that they allowed someone like that to teach? Has the school sunk that low? At worse, Yagi didn't seem to mind her presence at all. It was hard to tell if the man secretly enjoyed Midnight's company, or if Yagi felt equally as awkward as Enji did about her.

The last time he worked with this woman was seven years ago. She wasn't shy about letting loose her inhibitions then, and from what Endeavor saw of her now… that woman hadn't changed at all.

"SHOOOOOTTTOOOO!" Once the students started to file into the field, he couldn't help but let loose his signature bellow to his son. That did well in startling Midnight and All Might, enough to break up their conversation. Most of the students from the previous exam looked up to where the loud voice came from as well.

Shoto Todoroki, the half-cold, half ice hybrid, looked like he wanted to sink into the bottom of the ground. The expression on his face visibly asked 'why did his father have to be here?'

"I see you've been working on your entrances," Midnight remarked dryly to Endeavor.

His sly grin was hidden underneath the veil of his flames posing as facial hair. "We all can't be as flashy as All Might, Midnight."

This caused the former Number One hero's face to turn a beet red.

"It's been awhile since we last talked, Endeavor. I heard that you received a wild beating from that Nomu," Midnight observed his scar closely as she spoke.

Since when did Midnight become so formal? Endeavor had expected her to say something akin to her heroine theme, but what the hell? Well, Midnight could be normal once in awhile… just long as she didn't say anything too embarrassing. Then again, she had been known to embarrass herself too. That woman wasn't exactly the brightest crayon in the box, but even he was made firmly aware not to underestimate this woman in combat.

"Like it?" Endeavor grinned perversely, testing her some more. "Most women find scars attractive."

"Don't flatter yourself," Midnight scowled furiously at him. He hadn't changed one bit.

"Would you cut Midnight a break? We've all been concerned about you since you were released from the hospital. You shouldn't even be walking, let alone seeing," the gaunt man spoke up, coming to his colleague's aid. While he and Yagi weren't the best of friends, that didn't meant Yagi hadn't cared about Enji's physical health. The cameras showed him bleeding from head to foot after that battle with the Nomu, not to mention missing an eye.

"Even you?" There was something contradictory about the idea of the former Number One hero actually 'caring' about his well being. His old self wanted to dare the fragile looking man into using his trademark grin, except there was something clearly wrong with that picture. Much to his disgust, the man really was being sincere.

"I know we haven't always gotten along-" Yagi continued.

"Understatement of the year," Enji rolled his eyes.

"It doesn't mean that we can't get off on the right foot, this time." He picked up his phone, bringing up his contact information. "I would like to text you sometime."

"Now you are asking me out on a date? I wasn't aware that your door swung that direction," Enji chuckled at his own crude joke.

Yagi frowned. "It's not a joke. This is just in case if you need advice..."

"Fine, fine!" He punched the numbers into his phone and pressed the add button. "Like I'm going to need your help any time soon."

It wasn't like him to accept the number from anyone outside of his family. Enji did add Fuyumi's and (reluctantly) Natsuo, yet he pretended not to pick up their messages. Just the thought of needing that frail man's assistance made his skin crawl.

Midnight watched all of this with a look of awe and newfound respect. Does this mean they are dropping the macho act? "Wow… this is just like in the comics! Two rivals working together for the greater good, and then becoming closer as friends in the end! That really turns me on..."

"All Might, do me a favor, would you?" Endeavor ignored Midnight's further squeals and rantings about 'happy endings'. "Try to hire a _different_ bodyguard next time?"

Yagi looked like he wanted to slide off of his chair as Midnight went on and on, in her usual orgasmic glee. "Point taken."

Author's Note: This chapter is longer than the previous. It was supposed to be a Prologue, they're supposed to be short and sweet. I know others are scratching their heads as to where this story is going, I'm hoping it picks up at chapter two, the last thing I want to do is for the scenes to drone on and on, without relief. I would like to thank my beta reader for all of her help, too. Most of the credit goes to her.

Also, forgive that gay joke. It wasn't meant to insult anybody. Just be aware that this is Endeavor we're talking about here. He might have said he's going to atone for everything, it doesn't mean that its going to happen over night. It took Vegeta a few arcs just to get to where he is, currently. Still, if you get easily triggered, don't say I didn't warn you. As I said before, take this story with a grain of salt, the main theme is supposed to be about atonement and transformation. I thought I was being kind of obvious with the Beauty and the Beast reference.

The next chapter is going to be alot more philosophical. That is what you get from reading tons of stuff about Ancient Greece, I suppose. I slapped a rated M for a reason, namely due to the subject matter as opposed to the violence. It might be a little too complex for young readers, especially those who expect fluffy stories, which is not my normal style. I'm more of a comedy/action/adventure writer, although I am deeply concerned that comedy is going to die due to the PC police.

If you are going to flame me for writing about a complex character, I suggest you need to take a break from the internet and take a long, walk through the woods. Maybe smelling pinecones would sponge out the self righteous rhetoric out of your mouths. I am not in the mood to argue with a bunch of teenagers who think they have better morals than I do (twisted as though mine are). And keep your anti religious commentary OUT OF my account, too. It might spark some controversy due to Enji heading towards Nagasaki. There is a reason why I used a Christian church as a setting for that location. And I am aware that Japan isn't a Christian country, although they did settled in Nagasaki during the 1800s and condemned Shintoism and Buddhism. It doesn't mean that Japanese Christiains don't exist, they were kept hidden.

I don't appreciate hatred towards ANYONE'S beliefs or values. I might not always agree with them, but with the country the way it is now, the last thing I want to deal with is arrogance and pride. It is a long way off of that high horse.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter Two

"This has got to be some kind of joke," Enji grumbled.

One week after giving that daring speech, Hawks send him a text. The message appeared on his screen, rudely interrupting the research on Nagasaki. Atonement is an old concept from a bygone era, long before when quirks emerged, disrupting space colonization. Search engines kept leading him to old texts from religious practices that once dominated the United States, Christianity. Now it was as dead as the dodo bird, with its primary roots of Catholicism clinging on by a thread in Europe.

He remembered heroes with quirks that had religious themes say they drew their inspiration from Biblical figures. That question still haunted him: what was the point of being given these quirks? Is it possible for a hero to make mistakes? What was the point of heroism, then, if you couldn't use your quirk to strike fear into the hearts of these villains? All Might made that clear. He ran the villains right out of the city, with a smile on his face.

His mind dwelled back to that female fan, whose eyes widened with fear at the sight of his immense size, before being comforted by the 'gentle giant' that was All Might. Then his memories went back to age two when his quirk first emerged. That was the first time he learned how cruel fate can be, when he accidentally set his mother on fire . Since then, his mother couldn't look at him in the eye. Half of the side of her body was badly charred. His father wanted nothing to do with their son, afterwards, whom looked upon him as though he were a villain. Fights often broke out in the household over Enji's short fuse.

It had been hard for him to make friends as well. Most ignorant adults would shower him with praise, but his classmates skirted around him. The boy stood out like a walking furnace. Many of his smart aleck peers would challenge him to a duel, which he won with flying colors, even though it had gotten him into trouble afterwards. That of course led to even more fights at home. Teachers criticized him for picking fights with other students, and some had even warned him that if he didn't get his temper under control, he would go on the path to villainy.

That Shisetsu kid made him deeply think… fans loved him for his brutal, no nonsense approach to fighting. Is that what was wrong with him? It wouldn't be the first time. A sliver of regret begin to rise in his throat… perhaps he should've listened to his teachers.

 _'Maybe I should've been a villain...I'm not cut out for this...'_ If he didn't restrain himself now, his cell phone would've shattered into pieces from him crushing it in his hand. These things cost hundreds, and they weren't in any way cheap. It took three shoddy prepay replacements before he got the courage to buy a new smartphone.

 _'No... no quitter talk, Enji. You've come this far now. This is just another obstacle thrown in your path. Now is not the time to cry like a baby.'_

The the couple of buzzes from his phone froze his thoughts.

 **'Want to grab a cold one? This one's on me.'** The text stood out in bold letters.

'Was it ethical for a hero to drink'? Enji wondered, sullenly. That question should be lumped with, is it possible for a hero to make bad decisions and choices, despite being the pinnacle of selflessness?

These philosophical debates that warred in his head were draining. The glowing white from the text burned his already tired eyes. And then that cutsie avatar of an Endeavor plush attached to the text only made things worse. Was this Hawks' idea of a joke? There are times when he couldn't tell if Hawks was just being an asshole, or actually trying to strike a friendship with him. Just a few days ago, Yagi thought it was hilarious to toy with his feelings by offering him his cell number.

That plush brought back another disturbing memory, this time he could recall frightening off a businessman who claimed to work for a toy company. They wanted his likeness to be embedded in a doll of all things. Most likely just a cheap trinket that they get from those crane games. The poor businessman ran out of his office as quick as his feet would allow him, vowing never to work with short tempered heroes ever again.

That ragged looking thing wore the same scowl as the old Endeavor did. The facial expression on his face was completely different from the plush's. It lacked the stubble of what would eventually become a five o clock shadow. It had been awhile since he shaved. His muscles ached from the stress of that Nomu attack, combined with dealing with the likes of Hawks. Then those reporters… and now the rumors of dead bodies showing up mysteriously on the streets - they all have been nagging him for awhile. He didn't even bother giving the crime scene pictures a glance, he assumed that it was the work of those Nomu again.

That reason was why Hawks wanted to talk to him in the first place. Hawks had been his eye in the sky, eavesdropping on whispers of supposed Nomu attacks. He wanted to bring Endeavor over to his area. Why did he have this feeling that he was going to wind up doing the work by himself? Oh, well. That was how he liked it though. Endeavor could solve cases in a blink of an eye, without the aid of any sidekicks, or heroes. His strength alone was enough to get the job done.

Luckily for him, the area seemed to be close to Nagasaki. There was something over there he needed to check out.

* * *

Earlier that same evening...

Hawks stuck a finger in his ears, hoping that he heard it right. Although he promised a tour of Kyushu, he wanted to know why in the world Endeavor would wanted to visit this old dump. There were alot of things about his hero he had no knowledge of, particularly his private life. If this is what he did during his down time, then he had no reason to nitpick. Everyone is entitled to their secrets.

The winged hero had flown past this archaic cathedral before, and didn't like it one bit. The structure gave him the creeps. Perhaps it has a lot to do with the 'Gothic' style of the building, or maybe it was the statues that just stood there, testing time. It was hard to imagine that they were still able to stand. Whether this was the work of the supernatural, or it was well preserved, he had to be careful. Then Hawks noticed a chunk on one of the statues had chipped away upon closer inspection.

According to Endeavor, this was something he had to do.

* * *

It is true, that there used to be an underground group of Christian missionaries that fled persecution by creating these 'hideouts'. This was just one of those shrines... no, the word should be monastery. Enji studied the building's structure thoughtfully, soaking in the interior's details. It was quiet and as still as a tomb. The only thing that could liven up the melancholic atmosphere were the people that, somehow, had been aware of this place as well.

Then he saw a girl who looked to be around Shoto's age, kneeling down in some form of 'prayer'. Enji had seen her before at the school festival, along with the rest of his son's classmates. What he mistook for her green hair turned out to be vines.

Shoto never played with kids his own age before though. Not even his own siblings knew very much about him. Some didn't even know what Shoto's favorite meals were until Fuyumi asked. The fact that he managed to make friends with that Midoriya kid and Iida made him swell with fatherly pride. It is nice to see that he has made some good friends. The boy needed that positive influence to break out of his anger. According to Yagi, it was Midoriya, and what he said during their first match against each other, that got through to Shoto. He reminded himself to buy that green-haired boy lunch someday, as a gesture of goodwill and thanks. Maybe he would consider asking him over to 'play' - or study, or whatever it was they do at that age - just as long as Shoto was made aware that his training came first.

There were glass paintings that seemed to have gathered dust on the ceiling which seemed to add to the creepy decor. It seemed odd that the number one hero would stand there, in the center of a place this sacred, when at one point it was used to gather the faithful for their Sunday sermons. This was a time before quirks. To these people, if they see him now, they would compare him to a demon. A demon from Gehenna who trespassed, with only one single minded objective: to drag them to a fiery world that condemned the wicked, forever separated from the light.

The irony was he was the spitting image of the Devil himself. Just the thought of it made him break out into a hollow chuckle. Although there was some degree of humor in the joke, the laughter wasn't from irony. It sounded mirthless, cold. Him, the corrupter of souls? When he was one of the greatest heroes of their era? Nonsense!

And yet...

His memories brought him back to a cold winter. All Might had finally secured the position of Number One, and yet didn't show up to the Billboards on the grounds that he was too busy helping the community stay safe. This was the first time he assumed that All Might looked down on anyone. As though he were rubbing his victory into the Number Two's face. He was only twenty around that time.

Then, he saw her. While fuming over the loss, a cold breeze brushed against his neck, pausing him midrant. This delicate looking girl with a thoughtful expression on her face walked by him. It took him several tries before he could locate the girl again. But each time he tried, his feet couldn't move. Each syllable he uttered sounded stupid. When he did manage to strike up the nerve to talk to her, he knew, right away, that she was the one.

The one who would help him reach the top. He had to have her. The only thing he got out of her, so far, was her favorite type of flower.

That was a start. It was the only useful advice he gotten from All Might. He reminded himself never to ask advice from that man ever again.

And so he pursued this woman to make her his.

Much like Hades who persuaded Persephone to eat the pomegranate seeds, it is so amazing how trusting she was back then...he menaced her parents, brandishing a contract, bullying her mother to sign her daughter's freedom away, with just one signature...then he pulled their daughter back to his fiery underworld...hopefully to shed light in the darkness that surrounded his heart...It felt nice that there was someone out there that wasn't afraid of him. Then, his dream turned into a nightmare.

Now Enji studied the palm of his hand. It was large, the size of a shovel. This hand had since beat a frail-looking woman senselessly. She was left clutching her stomach in agony, as she sobbed at his feet while begging and pleading for mercy. But there was none coming. All Rei saw of him was a demon, breathing fire and brimstone. If he had a snake's tongue, it would have completed the perfect image of the devil that struck fear into the hearts of the pre-quirk era.

This was not how a hero should behave. Heroes were supposed to bring hope, not crush it. What he couldn't fathom was how a woman who was so gentle and kind towards him could turn out to be so weak. Worse, look upon him with those large, swollen eyes.

Women came to All Might in flocks. Endeavor witnessed several of them asking the Number One for dates, which he declined, proclaiming that his lady had always been Justice, leaving dozens of broken hearts and disappointed faces behind. That was the one time All Might managed to wipe the smile off of their faces. Well, he can't keep them smiling all the time.

It wasn't just random civilians or female fans either. Heroines had also flirted with the grand smiling hero. Although he had exchanged flirtatious banter, All Might let them know, clearly, he still wasn't interested. There were times when the old Endeavor would make amusing gay jokes at his expense. And laughed, loudly and rudely, when a homosexual fan tried to ask the Number One hero out on a date, leaving the poor hero completely at a loss on how turn to this fan down without hurting the boy's feelings as well.

The sad part was… Endeavor didn't know anything about women either. At one point, a shy girl from UA tried to ask him out on a date, only to accidently set her on fire. The girl that used to treat him with such kindness was now frightened of him. Her parents threatened him with a lawsuit if he ever went near their daughter again, despite trying his hardest to apologize.

It dawned on him on how garish his behavior was back then. _'I am a monster'_...

Instantly, Rei's face replaced the girl's. It was her all over again. He didn't meant any of it. Then there was that accident with Touya… he buried his face into his hands. How could he ever forgive himself?

The statue, on the wall of the sanctuary, was a large massive cross with a nearly naked figure of a man hanging on it. There were nails sticking out of the man's palms. What part of that hurt worst - the hanging or the nails? Alas, crucifixion had been a practice that was popular during ancient times in order to warn others what happened to criminals of the worse offense. Was humanity always been that cruel toward villains back then? Have villains always been just as cruel?

Had he always been this cruel?

It was as though he was daring the revered Son of God - killed so easily by mere mortals - to come down from that earthly cross and give him answers. To judge him for all of the atrocities he committed in the past. To dare him that he didn't belong here, to exorcise him out of this place.

Instead, what he got was silence.

The only thing that brought life to this place were those muttering about the history of the monastery. Nobody seem to care about the meaning of what this place once stood. That was crazy to imagine how superstitious the human race used to be, and how much it has changed now.

Or have they really changed that much?

When quirks started to make their appearance upon the world, humans who were born quirkless grew fearful that they would take over. They were concerned that their quirks would create a blanket of destruction and needless violence. When they found out the quirks came from rats, immediately they were labeled 'diseased'. There had been scientists who tried to put a stop towards quirks from taking over the world. Slowly, the powerless begin to fade into obscurity. Now there is only twenty percent of the populace who were born quirkless. A rare case indeed.

That was what he would've been, back then. The faithful prayed to God to get rid of the demons that infiltrated their streets.. it was like a different sort of witch hunt.

Endeavor hung his head, morosely. It didn't matter. That was then, this is now. Yagi was more of an expert in this subject. Luckily, he had unlocked the man's number and moved him to speed dial.

The pro heroes were the new gods, the masters of this world. He dared these statues to come alive and cast their so called judgment on him, it would be amusing.

Silence. Nothing.

Annoyed, Endeavor wanted to taunt one statue which was that of a woman in long, billowy dress cradling an infant in her arms. It instantly made him think of Rei and Shoto.

Or did it…? Mothers were supposed to protect their children. What that woman did to Shoto was inexcusable. He remembered coming home to his son's cries of pain. The scene was a nightmare… blood slowly started to stain the floor as Shoto cradled one side of his face, wailing that he couldn't see. Water that was once boiling hot now coated the wooden floor. His rarely felt fatherly instincts kicked into gear and he ran towards his son. A part of him wanted to clutch his son to chest, to get him to stop those pathetic wailing sounds that grated at his nerves so much.

Huddling in a corner from his presence, trembling, was the woman who had done this. It took him two seconds to figure out what happened.

The rest became a blur of action. There were shouts and whimpers, followed by the sound of a motor engine starting and tires peeling out.

Enji was too angry then to realize it, but now he knew why Rei tried to kill her own son. He did this to her, the devilman...

Shoto called him out on this. Rei told his son she wanted to remove those flames for good. She hated Enji... they both hated him and his angry fire. The boy's injuries recovered, yet he suffered from third degree burns. Now he could barely see right out of that eye. How dare she ruin his 'masterpiece'!

His _masterpiece_...

Shoto… Rei...

For a brief second, he could've sworn that the image of Yagi's skeletal body took his place on the cross instead.

Gah! Was he just seeing things?

'I want out of here, now!' That place was starting to get to him, he briskly stormed out of the building, refusing to look back at the ill-fated cross. Sure, nothing was being said or done to him physically, but mentally.. emotionally…

* * *

'Is he trying to drown himself'? Hawks scratched behind his ear, watching the strange Number One hero dunk his whole head, face first, into the spring water. Enji was clearly disrupting the tourists as well as those who came to pray at the shrine outside. Most of them gave Endeavor a look of disapproval, others mutter to themselves about the number one's lack of manners.

Enji blinked the water out of eyes, wincing at a burning sensation. The water got into the injured eye that just recently went through surgery... just his luck. Just what he needed, an eye infection to complicate his injuries! Yet, his damning, guilt-ridden memories were still there. No matter how many times he tried to cleanse himself, they were always going to be there to torment him, every day, for the rest of his life. For a brief second, he backed away from the well, feeling that he might have tainted it's holiness.

It was no use, he still felt dirty. No matter how hard he tried to wash away his sins, past voices of his wife and son still echoed. The sounds of the cruel words coming forth from his mouth directed at All Might was another realization, a new torment. Did he really feel that bad for chiding Yagi for all these years?

Perhaps, in another lifetime, had he been more humble, they could've been friends. Yagi wasn't a bad egg, but it left him wondering...how did he deflate so quickly? What was going on here? Did he know anything about the gruesome man, All For One? More importantly, was he the reason All Might shrunk to nothing more then a mere husk? It seems as though Yagi was the only person who can stop him. The only person who was more of an expert at rescue missions, citizenship, then he ever could be. All he cared about were battles, conquering one foe from the next.

Yet the feeling of winning battles, now, left him quite empty.

Earlier, an e-mail popped up from his account. It was a request from his wife's therapist to terminate the marriage completely. Things were not going well and the fact that his wife rather dissolve it made the hole in his heart bigger than it already was… if he had one at all. It was quite clear that this was going to happen, and to his great surprise, he had agreed to. Natsuo already set up a room for Rei at his place. No matter how many times he tried, Enji could never get through to Natsuo. That boy was as stubborn as he had been, a trait he inherited from him. The fact that Natsuo also had a 'girlfriend' now somehow made him smile. That boy had grown into a handsome, young man, and in many ways he was taking after his father.

What did they know about women, anyways?

Regardless, Enji was curious about this mysterious young woman and wanted to meet her sometime. Shouldn't he have the right to know who this girl was who had stolen his son's heart? Natsuo wouldn't budge from ever inviting him to meet her.

It didn't matter… it wasn't as though that love existed in his own relationship, if you could call it a relationship. What a joke that marriage was. What did he know about love? Although he might not look it, age had been catching up to him and he felt it for awhile. This was why his efforts to prepare Shoto to replace him had become more rigorous and aggressive. Although his physique and mind was still sharp as it could be, it didn't mean that he couldn't accept the reality that he had become a middle-aged, single father now.

Enji was too old to fall in love anymore. He was also a few years shy away from fifty. It was a feeling he had once, but lost it the moment the claws of desperation took hold of him.

Hawks was beginning to feel a little disturbed by his hero's distraught moodiness. "Are you done yet? You've been scaring off the tourists for the past few minutes."

It took awhile to notice that the expensive sweater he wore was soaking wet from the neckline. He could dry it off later, or stop by the nearest men's department store and get a temporary one. Maybe he'd make hawkboy buy it. It might get him off his lazy ass, for once.

"Tourists?" Once again, the tone of the voice sounded almost childlike. It was unlike him. Endeavor turned around and noticed a couple, no doubt from the US, watching him with mild curiosity.

Heat rushed to his face in stark embarrassment. Now he really want to dunk his face back into the spring, just to hide. Hopefully he would stay in there and pray that they would stop staring at him.

"Sorry about that. Our new Number One is just… very religious… or on fire, with the.. holy spirit!" Hawks gave the tourists a winning grin. The couple looked at each other with puzzled expressions, wondering what sort of sins the current hero of Japan might've committed.

The only answer the couple received were the telltale sounds of gurgling from Endeavor, under water.


End file.
